Chapter 45 · continued 2 · The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines

Subhūti then asked, “Blessed Lord, if all phenomena are void of all phenomena and if all phenomena are empty of all phenomena, how could there be the defilement and purification of beings? Blessed Lord, voidness is neither defiled nor purified. Emptiness is neither defiled nor purified. Voidness and emptiness do not attain fully awakening to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. Voidness does not apprehend in emptiness ¹⁰²⁷ any phenomenon that is the enlightenment in which buddhahood will be attained, and emptiness does not apprehend any being in voidness who would fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. So how then, Blessed Lord, should I understand the meaning of this teaching?”

“Subhūti, do you think that beings engage with the notion of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ over a long period of time?” asked the Blessed One.

“It is so, Blessed Lord. It is so, Sugata. Beings do engage for a long time with notions of ‘I’ and ‘mine,’ ” said Subhūti.

“What do you think, Subhūti, is it not the case that ‘I’ is void and empty, that ‘mine’ is void and empty?” asked the Blessed One.

“Blessed Lord, they are void! Sugata, they are empty!” said Subhūti.

“Subhūti, do you think that beings roam and wander through saṃsāra because of notions of ‘I’ and ‘mine’?” asked the Blessed One.

“Blessed Lord, it is so! Sugata, it is so! Beings do roam and wander through saṃsāra because of notions of ‘I’ and ‘mine,’ ” said Subhūti.

“Therefore, Subhūti, there is the defilement of beings,” said the Blessed One. “But where there is no notion of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ there is no grasping; where there is no grasping, there are no beings roaming and wandering in saṃsāra; and there, there is no defilement at all. Therefore, Subhūti, there is the purification of beings.”

Subhūti said, “Blessed Lord, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner do not engage with physical forms, do not engage with feelings, do not engage with perceptions, do not engage with formative predispositions, and do not engage with consciousness; do not engage with the eyes, do not engage with the ears, do not engage with the nose, do not engage with the tongue, do not engage with the body, and do not engage with the mental faculty; do not engage with sights, do not engage with sounds, do not engage with odors, do not engage with tastes, do not engage with tangibles, and do not engage with mental phenomena; do not engage with visual consciousness, do not engage with auditory consciousness, do not engage with olfactory consciousness, do not engage with gustatory consciousness, do not engage with tactile consciousness, and do not engage with mental consciousness; do not engage with visually compounded sensory contact, do not engage with aurally compounded sensory contact, do not engage with nasally compounded sensory contact, do not engage with lingually compounded sensory contact, do not engage with corporeally compounded sensory contact, and do not engage with mentally compounded sensory contact; do not engage with feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact, do not engage with feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, do not engage with feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, do not engage with feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, do not engage with feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, and do not engage with feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact; do not engage with the earth element, do not engage with the water element, do not engage with the fire element, do not engage with the wind element, do not engage with the space element, and do not engage with the consciousness element; do not engage with ignorance, do not engage with formative predispositions, do not engage with consciousness, do not engage with name and form, do not engage with the six sense fields, do not engage with sensory contact, do not engage with sensation, do not engage with craving, do not engage with grasping, do not engage with the rebirth process, do not engage with birth, and do not engage with aging and death; do not engage with the perfection of generosity, do not engage with the perfection of ethical discipline, do not engage with the perfection of tolerance, do not engage with the perfection of perseverance, do not engage with the perfection of meditative concentration, and do not engage with the perfection of wisdom; do not engage with the emptiness of internal phenomena, do not engage with the emptiness of external phenomena, do not engage with the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, do not engage with the emptiness of emptiness, do not engage with the emptiness of great extent, do not engage with the emptiness of ultimate reality, do not engage with the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, do not engage with the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, do not engage with the emptiness of the unlimited, do not engage with the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, do not engage with the emptiness of nonexclusion, do not engage with the emptiness of inherent nature, do not engage with the emptiness of all phenomena, do not engage with the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, do not engage with the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, do not engage with the emptiness of nonentities, do not engage with the emptiness of essential nature, and do not engage with the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; do not engage with the applications of mindfulness, do not engage with the correct exertions, do not engage with the supports for miraculous ability, do not engage with the faculties, do not engage with the powers, do not engage with the branches of enlightenment, and do not engage with the noble eightfold path; do not engage with the truths of the noble ones, do not engage with the meditative concentrations, do not engage with the immeasurable attitudes, do not engage with the formless absorptions, do not engage with the eight liberations, do not engage with the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, do not engage with the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, do not engage with the extrasensory powers, do not engage with the meditative stabilities, and do not engage with the dhāraṇī gateways; do not engage with the ten powers of the tathāgatas, do not engage with the four fearlessnesses, do not engage with the four kinds of exact knowledge, do not engage with great loving kindness, do not engage with great compassion, and do not engage with the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas; and do not engage with the fruit of having entered the stream, do not engage with the fruit of once-returner, do not engage with the fruit of non-returner, do not engage with arhatship, do not engage with individual enlightenment, do not engage with the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and do not engage with all-aspect omniscience.

“If you ask why, it is because those who engage, that through which they engage, and that in which they engage‍—none of those phenomena can be apprehended.

“Blessed Lord, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner cannot be overpowered by the world with its gods, humans, and asuras. Blessed Lord, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner cannot be outshone by all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. If you ask why, it is because they stand in a place that cannot be outshone‍—a bodhisattva’s full maturity‍—and, Blessed Lord, bodhisattva great beings who are not separated from paying attention to all-aspect omniscience cannot be outshone. Blessed Lord, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner have drawn near to all-aspect omniscience.”

The Blessed One then asked, “Subhūti, if all the beings of Jambudvīpa, as many as there are, were simultaneously¹⁰²⁸ to acquire a human body and were to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and certain sons or daughters of good families were, for the duration of their lives, to serve, respect, honor, and worship them, and to dedicate those roots of virtue to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, do you think, Subhūti, that the merit of those bodhisattva great beings would for that reason increase greatly?”

“It would greatly, Blessed Lord. It would greatly, Sugata,” Subhūti replied.

“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, “the merit of sons or daughters of good families who teach, explain, establish,¹⁰²⁹ well establish, interpret, analyze, elucidate, and completely disclose this perfection of wisdom to others, and practice with attention connected to the perfection of wisdom, will increase even more than that.

“Subhūti, if all the beings of the world system with its four continents, as many as there are, were simultaneously to acquire a human body and were to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and certain sons or daughters of good families were, for the duration of their lives, to serve, respect, honor, and worship them, and to dedicate those roots of virtue to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, do you think, Subhūti, that the merit of those bodhisattva great beings would for that reason increase greatly?”

“It would greatly, Blessed Lord. It would greatly, Sugata,” Subhūti replied.

“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, “the merit of sons or daughters of good families who teach, explain, establish, well establish, interpret, analyze, elucidate, and completely disclose this perfection of wisdom to others, and practice with attention connected to the perfection of wisdom, will increase even more than that.

“Subhūti, if all the beings of the thousandfold world system, as many as there are, were simultaneously to acquire a human body and were to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and certain sons or daughters of good families were, for the duration of their lives, to serve, respect, honor, and worship them, and to dedicate those roots of virtue to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, do you think, Subhūti, that the merit of those bodhisattva great beings would for that reason increase greatly?”

“It would greatly, Blessed Lord. It would greatly, Sugata,” Subhūti replied.

“Subhūti, if all the beings of the millionfold world system, as many as there are, were simultaneously to acquire a human body and were to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and certain sons or daughters of good families were, for the duration of their lives, to serve, respect, honor, and worship them, and to dedicate those roots of virtue to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, do you think, Subhūti, that the merit of those bodhisattva great beings would for that reason increase greatly?”

“It would greatly, Blessed Lord. It would greatly, Sugata,” Subhūti replied.

“Subhūti, if all the beings of the billionfold world system, as many as there are, were simultaneously to acquire a human body and were to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and certain sons or daughters of good families were, for the duration of their lives, to serve, respect, honor, and worship them, and to dedicate those roots of virtue to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, do you think, Subhūti, that the merit of those bodhisattva great beings would for that reason increase greatly?”

“It would greatly, Blessed Lord. It would greatly, Sugata,” Subhūti replied.

“Subhūti, if all the beings of Jambudvīpa, as many as there are, were simultaneously to acquire a human body, and certain sons or daughters of good families were to establish them in the paths of the ten virtuous actions, were to establish them in the four meditative concentrations, were to establish them in the four immeasurable attitudes, were to establish them in the four formless absorptions, were to establish them in the five extrasensory powers, were to establish them in the fruit of having entered the stream, were to establish them in the fruit of once-returner, were to establish them in the fruit of non-returner, were to establish them in arhatship, were to establish them in individual enlightenment, were to establish them in unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and were to dedicate those roots of virtue to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, do you think, Subhūti, that the merit of those bodhisattva great beings would for that reason increase greatly?”

“It would greatly, Blessed Lord. It would greatly, Sugata,” Subhūti replied.

“Subhūti, if all the beings of the world system with its four continents, as many as there are, were simultaneously to acquire a human body, and certain sons or daughters of good families were to establish them in the paths of the ten virtuous actions, were to establish them in the four meditative concentrations, were to establish them in the four immeasurable attitudes, were to establish them in the four formless absorptions, were to establish them in the five extrasensory powers, were to establish them in the fruit of having entered the stream, were to establish them in the fruit of once-returner, were to establish them in the fruit of non-returner, were to establish them in arhatship, were to establish them in individual enlightenment, were to establish them in unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and were to dedicate those roots of virtue to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, do you think, Subhūti, that the merit of those bodhisattva great beings would for that reason increase greatly?”

“It would greatly, Blessed Lord. It would greatly, Sugata,” Subhūti replied.

“Subhūti, if all the beings of the thousandfold world system, as many as there are, were simultaneously to acquire a human body, and certain sons or daughters of good families were to establish them in the paths of the ten virtuous actions, were to establish them in the four meditative concentrations, were to establish them in the four immeasurable attitudes, were to establish them in the four formless absorptions, were to establish them in the five extrasensory powers, were to establish them in the fruit of having entered the stream, were to establish them in the fruit of once-returner, were to establish them in the fruit of non-returner, were to establish them in arhatship, were to establish them in individual enlightenment, were to establish them in unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and were to dedicate those roots of virtue to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, do you think, Subhūti, that the merit of those bodhisattva great beings would for that reason increase greatly?”

“It would greatly, Blessed Lord. It would greatly, Sugata,” Subhūti replied.

“Subhūti, if all the beings of the millionfold world system, as many as there are, were simultaneously to acquire a human body, and certain sons or daughters of good families were to establish them in the paths of the ten virtuous actions, were to establish them in the four meditative concentrations, were to establish them in the four immeasurable attitudes, were to establish them in the four formless absorptions, were to establish them in the five extrasensory powers, were to establish them in the fruit of having entered the stream, were to establish them in the fruit of once-returner, were to establish them in the fruit of non-returner, were to establish them in arhatship, were to establish them in individual enlightenment, were to establish them in unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and were to dedicate those roots of virtue to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, do you think, Subhūti, that the merit of those bodhisattva great beings would for that reason increase greatly?”

“It would greatly, Blessed Lord. It would greatly, Sugata,” Subhūti replied.

“Subhūti, if all the beings of the billionfold world system, as many as there are, were simultaneously to acquire a human body, and certain sons or daughters of good families were to establish them in the paths of the ten virtuous actions, were to establish them in the four meditative concentrations, were to establish them in the four immeasurable attitudes, were to establish them in the four formless absorptions, were to establish them in the five extrasensory powers, were to establish them in the fruit of having entered the stream, were to establish them in the fruit of once-returner, were to establish them in the fruit of non-returner, were to establish them in arhatship, were to establish them in individual enlightenment, were to establish them in unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and were to dedicate those roots of virtue to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, do you think, Subhūti, that the merit of those bodhisattva great beings would for that reason increase greatly?”

“It would greatly, Blessed Lord. It would greatly, Sugata,” Subhūti replied.

“Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing in that manner, who give explanations with their attention connected to all-aspect omniscience, become worthy recipients of the donations of all beings. If you ask why, it is because, with the exception of the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas, there are no beings at all that have this sort of practice of the bodhisattva great beings. If you ask why, it is because when those children of good families practice the perfection of wisdom, they clearly achieve great loving kindness. When they practice the perfection of wisdom, they see that all beings are, as it were, about to be slaughtered and they acquire great compassion. Practicing that practice, delighted and overjoyed with joy, they clearly achieve great empathetic joy. They do not coexist together with mental images, so they acquire great equanimity. This, Subhūti, is the great illumination of the perfection of wisdom of the bodhisattva great beings. Accordingly, it is the illumination of the perfection of generosity, it is the illumination of the perfection of ethical discipline, it is the illumination of the perfection of tolerance, it is the illumination of the perfection of perseverance, it is the illumination of the perfection of meditative concentration, and it is the illumination of the perfection of wisdom. Those children of good families, even if they are not all-aspect omniscient, completely awakened buddhas, become worthy recipients of the donations of all beings and are irreversible from unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.

“Since they practice with their attention connected to the perfection of wisdom, the giving of the basic necessities that anyone uses‍—robes, alms, bedding, and medications owing to ill health‍—and the donations of those patrons, become purified and all-aspect omniscience becomes closer. So it is, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings who wish to make their use of the country’s alms meaningful, who wish to teach the path to all beings, who wish to emit great luminosity, who wish to liberate beings imprisoned in the three realms, and who wish to develop the unsurpassed eye of wisdom in all beings should uninterruptedly keep their attention connected to the perfection of wisdom at all times. Even if bodhisattva great beings are not practicing with their attention connected to the perfection of wisdom, they should give no opportunity for a different attention. One way or the other they should act with their attention connected just to the perfection of wisdom, continuing to persevere, without forsaking it, day and night.

“Subhūti, this is just as if a man who has never previously found a precious gem were to find a precious gem at a certain moment, and rejoice, delight, and be filled with mental happiness through finding that precious gem. But if immediately after finding that precious gem he were to lose it, for that reason he would suffer and become filled with mental unhappiness. His attention would be constantly, exclusively on that precious gem, at all times and without interruption, with the thought, ‘Alas! I have lost that lovely precious gem!’ In the same way, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings, considering it to be gem, should not part from the attention connected to all-aspect omniscience. They should not lose that gem‍—all-aspect omniscience‍—and in that way they will always have much pleasure and mental happiness.”

Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, if all attention is separated from an essential nature, if all attention is indeed empty of an essential nature, how can bodhisattva great beings not be separated from attention connected to all-aspect omniscience? When separated [from an essential nature], a bodhisattva cannot be apprehended, attention cannot be apprehended, and all-aspect omniscience cannot be apprehended.”

“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “if bodhisattva great beings know that all phenomena are separated from an essential nature in that manner‍—that they have not been made by the śrāvakas, they have not been made by the pratyekabuddhas, and they have not even been made by the lord buddhas‍—that this reality of phenomena as it pertains to phenomena, the abiding nature of reality, the maturity of phenomena, the real nature, the unmistaken real nature, the one and only real nature, the realm of phenomena, and the very limit of reality endures, then those bodhisattva great beings are not separated from the perfection of wisdom. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the perfection of wisdom is void of an essential nature, is empty of an essential nature. In it there is no increase and there is no decrease.”

Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, if the perfection of wisdom is void of an essential nature, is empty of an essential nature, then, Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings come into being¹⁰³⁰ in the perfection of wisdom and fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment?”

“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “even though bodhisattva great beings come into being in the perfection of wisdom, there is neither increase nor decrease. In the real nature there is neither increase nor decrease. In the realm of phenomena there is neither increase nor decrease. In the very limit of reality there is neither increase nor decrease. If you ask why, it is because the perfection of wisdom is neither one nor two.

“Subhūti, if great bodhisattvas are not disheartened and are not intimidated, are not afraid, are not frightened, and are not terrified when this is explained, they dwell in the realm of the irreversible ones. One should know with a definitive realization¹⁰³¹ that these bodhisattva great beings are practicing the perfection of wisdom.”

“Blessed Lord,” asked Subhūti, “does this perfection of wisdom, which is emptiness, vanity, hollowness, contingency,¹⁰³² and essencelessness, practice the perfection of wisdom?”

“No, it does not, Subhūti,” said the Blessed One.

“Blessed Lord,” asked Subhūti, “can you apprehend anything apart from the perfection of wisdom that practices the perfection of wisdom?”

“No, you cannot, Subhūti,” said the Blessed One.

“Blessed Lord, is it the perfection of wisdom that practices the perfection of wisdom?” asked Subhūti.

“No, it is not, Subhūti,” said the Blessed One.

“Blessed Lord, does emptiness practice emptiness?” asked Subhūti.

“No, it does not, Subhūti,” said the Blessed One.

“Blessed Lord, does anything apart from emptiness practice emptiness?” asked Subhūti.

“No, it does not, Subhūti,” said the Blessed One.

Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, do physical forms practice the perfection of wisdom? Blessed Lord, do feelings practice the perfection of wisdom? Blessed Lord, do perceptions practice the perfection of wisdom? Blessed Lord, do formative predispositions practice the perfection of wisdom? Blessed Lord, does consciousness practice the perfection of wisdom?”